Accused White House fence jumper was on grounds for 16 minutes: Secret Service

The intruder who scaled a White House fence last week was on the grounds for approximately 16 minutes before he was caught, the Secret Service said today.

House Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz said in a letter to Secret Service Acting Director William Callahan Friday that the committee has received allegations that the accused fence jumper, Jonathan Tuan-Anh Tran, 26, of Milpitas, California, "may have triggered alarms the USSS ignored [and] may have moved around on the White House grounds undetected for a considerable amount of time."

He also stated that the intruder "may have attempted entry into the building."

Chaffetz is requesting video and more information related to the matter.

"If true, these allegations raise questions about whether the agency's security protocols are adequate," Chaffetz wrote in the letter.

In a statement Friday, the Secret Service said that the intruder was on the ground for approximately 16 minutes. After the incident, the Secret Service said that it "immediately initiated a comprehensive investigation," adding that in excess of 50 interviews have been conducted thus far.

According to the statement, the intruder "breached an outer perimeter fence near the Treasury complex, near East Executive Avenue" at 11:21 p.m. The individual then "proceeded within the secure perimeter and scaled an 8-foot vehicle gate" and went on to climb over a 3-and-a-half foot fence near the southeast corner of the East Wing of the White House grounds, the statement said.

The individual was ultimately apprehended on the grounds at 11:38 p.m. without incident, according to the statement.

"The Secret Service can confirm that at no time did the individual gain entry into the White House," the statement added.